Consider the Oyster

Last week the travel section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung highlighted what they thought were the most innovative chocolatiers (some are also patissiers) currently in Paris:

Sorry I'm too lazy to call up the accents aigu et grave

• A la mere de famille; 35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre 75009 (9e) www.lameredefamille.com
  
• Chocolat Debauve & Gallais; 30 rue des Saints-Pres, 75007 Paris (7e), www.debauve-et-gallais.com


• Patrick Roger; 108, boulevard Saint-Germain, 75006 (6e), www.patrickroger.com


• Charlotte de I'isle; 24, rue Saint Louis, 75004 Paris (4e), www.la-charlotte.fr


• Cafe Maure de la Mosquee de Paris; 39, rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 75005 Paris (5e)


• Patisserie du Sud Tunisien; 17, rue de la harpe, 75005 Paris (5e)


• Laduree; 16 rue Royale, 75008 Paris (8e), www.laduree.fr (but their renovated cafe/restaurant on the Champs Elysee is worth a special visit)


• Pierre Herme; 72, rue Bonaparte, 75006 Paris (6e), www.pierreherme.com


• Jean-Paul Hevin; 231, rue Saint-Honore, 75001 Paris (1er), www.jphevin.com


• Erick Kayser; 8, rue Monge, 75005 Paris (5e), www.maison-kayser.com


• Fauchon; 24-26, place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris (8e) www.fauchon.com

From my personal experience of names mentioned above I can only concur this must be a fairly decent list - note they've avoided the more obvious Maison du Chocolat and Lenotre, not because they're not still great but probably because they're already so well known.

This post and the previous one are dedicated to my little cousin Laurie, who will turn 21 come February 28th. This is a super early shout-out because I'm such a flake when it comes to birthdays I will somehow let it slip. For someone so young she already has a very seasoned and learned palate - her parents have indulged her with culinary adventures ever since she was ready for PG-13 (remember Le Titi de Paris?). Most importantly, as we recently agreed, good food is not only pricey ingredients or ambitious presentations but a flawless execution, an inventive approach to taste.

Laurie, we will miss slipping your underaged self sips of syrah. Now that you're nearly 21 you're also old enough for MFK Fisher - have you come across her writings yet? If not, be prepared to swoon!